The long-anticipated Taylor Swift album, Midnights, dropped on October 21 and has since broken records upon records, including Spotify’s most streamed album in a single day.
From love to heartbreak, revenge to self-loathing, Swift writes on a variety of topics on synth-filled tracks and an irresistible rhythm that’ll sneakily make its way into your head and on the constant tip of your tongue.
The album opens up with “Lavender Haze” and the synths as well as gorgeously layered harmonies immediately lets listeners know that the era of subdued indie folklore and evermore are now put on the back burner and it’s time for the pop princess to return with a bang. Swift, however, does bring the lyrical maturity found in those two albums in Midnights as well, to some degree.
The record’s 13 songs plus the seven bonus tracks on the 3am Edition come together to form one of Swift’s most cohesively put-together album since folklore.
Some songs stuck out right away from the rest, while a few outliers struck out instead.
One song from the seven bonus tracks, “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” is a clear example of Swift’s ability to take a personal experience and make it everybody else’s. Her raw vocals, like she’s on the verge of a screaming cry in the bridge and verse three, make for a heart-wrenching moment felt far and wide.
A favourite line from the third verse goes, “Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first.” This line makes the track one of the most relatable and unique, as many can relate to it in a variety of ways.
Some more personal favourites on this album include “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” “Karma,” and “Mastermind,” (with “Labyrinth,” and “Midnight Rain,” as honourable mentions).
Swift’s track fives are known for being some of the most vulnerable songs she writes. “You’re on Your Own, Kid,” continues to hold that statement true. What was especially meaningful was its hopeful ending. Despite the amount of loneliness and hardships described in the song, a sense of perseverance was present and profound. It changed the meaning of the title, from self-pity to determination, unlocking a new vulnerability in her writing.
“Karma” acts as an energetic love song to, you guessed it, karma. She directly calls out her wrongdoers with solid confidence in the mantra, what goes around comes back around. There is no fear or hesitance present, only self-reassurance and faith in the divine karmic power. This fun listen gets you feeling upbeat, secure and just a little bit petty (all in good faith).
“Mastermind” is a special track exploring Swift’s “calculative” nature, showcasing what she believes to be her analytical moves toward gaining a lover. The song explores the root of her scheming tendencies and ends beautifully when it’s revealed that her lover was aware of the schemes all along and went with it because he loved her despite it. Her famous storytelling shines through yet again on this song and creates a full-circle moment for listeners.
While there were many, many hits on this record, there were some that just missed the mark slightly.
The highly awaited collaboration between Swift and Lana Del Rey on “Snow on the Beach” fell short of expectations, with the latter not receiving a verse for herself. However, her influence was felt throughout the lyrics and overall feel to the entire song making for a melodic listen with a soothing blend of their voices.
Some bonus tracks, including “Dear Reader” and “Bigger Than The Whole Sky,” proved to be good on their own but failed to stand out in comparison to evidently stronger tracks on the album.
Here’s my personal ranking of Midnights (yes, the 3am Edition) after the first listen. Will it change around in time? Definitely…
- Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve
- You’re On Your Own, Kid
- Labyrinth
- Karma
- Mastermind
- Lavender Haze
- Anti-Hero
- Midnight Rain
- Vigilante Shit
- Question…?
- High Infidelity
- Maroon
- Sweet Nothing
- Snow On The Beach
- Bejewelled
- Glitch
- Paris
- The Great War
- Bigger Than The Whole Sky
- Dear Reader
Taylor Swift does it, yet again with her tenth original album and delivers fans an album full of midnight longing, love, and lessons.